Device for inducing sleep and rest



Nov. 10, 1953 F. H. wlEsMAN DEVICE EOE INDUCING SLEEP AND EEST Filed Feb. 26 1952 m 7 W M O O 9 2 I a n :y

w n 2 o 2 4 O o b 8 2 W JNVENToR. A/wf H. M55/WAN ently constituted Patented* Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT eprice DEVICE FR INDUCING SLEEP yAND REST Frank H.` Wiesman, Mount Healthy, Ohio y Application February 26, 1952, Serial No'. 273,399

6 Claims,V

This invention relates to a deviceor apparatus for inducing sleep and rest, and is adaptedparticularly for use in noisysurroundings, or .by persons, including infants, whose res-t or` sleep may be interrupted more or less easily by noises of various types or intensities. The device of the invention operates uponA the principle that a pleasing and harmonious steady sound or vibration, adjusted -to the temperamentof any given individual and located within hearing distance, will induce. relaxationA and sleepin an atmosphere of disturbing noisesr or vibrations which may be more intense than the `tone orvibratory eiect of the sleep-inducing device.`

An object of the invention is to provide a' device for inducing sleep and rest, which eiectively nullies disturbing noises Yof the type Vwhich usually interfere with VVhumany relaxation.

Another object is to provide a simple, 4inexpensive, and trouble-free device for thevpurpose stated, which is portable and of light-Weightl construction, so that itmay be used wherever electric power is available.

Another object is to provide a device ofthe character referred to, which may be adjusted as to pitch and intensity, to soothe and relax the acteristics.

knervous systems of` individuals that aregdiier with Irespect to.` emotional c harcannot be considered harmful to theindividual,

and therefore need not be used under vision or observation of a physician;

Another object is tor provide a'novel method of inducing sleep and rest.

the superi The foregoing and other objects areattained i. by the means described herein and.illustrated,V

uponj the Aaccorripanying drawing; in which:V

Figure 1 is a front eleva-tional view ofsthe1dei40 vice of the present invention, part broken to show certain details-of` construction. n

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the same; A Figure 3 is a top plan View of the devicefwith i the cover removed.

The vdevice herein disclosed haslproven. bene,

ficial to the generaI health of individuals who experienced difficulty in acquiring sufficient restful sleep, due to the disturbing eie'cts of objecY tionable common noises usually existing within invention is. of inestimable .value-as .-a sleep@ in V- 50 or `outside a dwelling. For the individualV who y pulsating-:electric currentf Sigh 55..

'closed 'herein asi one=wl1'ic1'11A perates with the" user -of alternating electric currentv of "custo l plate ,4 whichpreferably-is'f-airesilient'met ducer;. however, its use is appreciated alsoby sensitive individuals whose relaxation period occurs at night, but Who nevertheless experience difficulty in obtaining uninterrupted restful sleep. i Recent observations appear to indicate also' that the device may possess therapeutic -v'alue` for individuals who `suffer from-certain typesV of ailments or deficiencieswhich have a disturbing eiect upon the sleeping habits of the patient." Thus, the device` is suited for hospital use, as Well as for home use. Inffact, the circumstances andvconditions under which the benets of the device maybe enjoyed are-practicallyunlimited, as the users experiences therewith will indicatesA Referring to the accompanying drawing, the?- device will be lseen tofcomprisea box having front and rear upstandingawall's 5 vand iii-lend' walls' 'l and 8, and a .substantiallyflat bottom wall or. face 9. The box has an open-top lwhich normally is closed by means of a'iiangedcoven or lid I0'. The box and its-cover may be-.conl` structed of metal, wood, plastic or any 'other suitable `material to'house the constituents /ofithe T device. The cover normally'may be fixed-over,

the open top of the box Jinanysuitablemanner;`

as by means of screws or .other fasteners l2. Means are provided within the box iorfsettin up audible vibrationsfwhich Vare adjustable a to pitch and intensity, saidmeans being-prefer l ably electrically operated. In the -forin ofdevice disclosed, the. vibrationl generating Vmeans oper-L ates with alternating electric current, however,y it isv to; be vunderstood that 'direct-ci'irrentcould,y be employed y by modifying theldevice to" include' f a suitable...converter.I in Vwell" known manner, 'to`- supply proper electric pulsations for Aenergizfin vibration.'` generating means`."For the salie? of simplicity-ofv explanation, "the device-.will be' di within the box'is afsubstantiauynatf having 'a high hardness characteristicl,` 'thispla being adapted to restlooselyupo'n the inner-'face ,l

. :sof the patternWan:ofthe{boa-1,'rhelpiatefy A Near onelendof'the plate l y there is mounted. by `'means'offfscrewsr'rivets otheriastenersrl 6,1 an electric vibrator or 'b az-er l which. is capable 'of emitting-audit "evibrauonisii when energizedfwi-th Aasuitab1'il Yi'blrt .Lof

andconsuua y buzzer, may beY of ilordinar-y1y riesig 3 tion, it is herein disclosed in conventional manner, as a closed casing. In accordance with common practice, the vibrator or buzzer II is provided with the usual binding posts I8 and I9 for electrical connection purposes.

At or near the opposite end of plate I4, there is mounted a transformer, indicated conventionally at 20, the secondary winding `of which terminates at binding posts 2| and 22. The Yprimary winding of the transformer has connection with an electric outlet or socket 23, 'into which may be plugged a suitable extension cord sup.- plying electric current to the primary winding of the transformer. mounted firmly upon the plate I4 in any appropriate manner, as by meansof screws; bolts or rivets 24. The socket 23 is accessible ,through an opening 25 formed in one of the end Walls of the box.

One of the upright walls, for example the front Wall l 5, hasmountedinteriorly thereof a rheostat 26 0f the4 adjustable: type, the resistance value of which-may bezmanually controlled by means cfa, knob 2l accessiblegat thefront wall of the The rheostat` includes the usual binding The transformer isto `SEMES;connection. with the low voltage sec- Y olldrywinding of-.thetransformen With ordinary house, currentisupplied atthe socket 23, Y

lmeans'for regulatingtheintensity ofthe tonev for vthe vattainment ofapleasingand harmonious steady sound.' Thefntensity control means may consist of a rigid metallic rod 33, upstanding upon the plate I4 `andrrnly, attached thereto, as by means` of,v av welding; or peening operation. Whereas .the lower end. of the `rod is xed .to u

thefplate, `I4Wat the locationy 34,: the upper end thereoffis extended through an aperture in the cover-J0, and'isprovided with a screw thread 36 adaptedtoengage the;internal screw threads of a control knobv 31 which restsuponthe upper surface ofthe lid orvcover I0. f By preference,

suitable yielding means, is4 provided vto gentlyf urge-the vibratory v,plate I4 iinto natwise acontact upon the bottom Wall-9 of therbox, Without sub stantially dampeningthe plate vibrations..` .One form 7of .means kfor so depressing the plate .I 4,

Vmay consist of av spiral compression spring .38

Whichsurrounds the rod;.33, oppositeV ends. of thespringxbearingpupon the plate I4 4and the under surface; of .coverln. v

From-theforegoingit readily will-be under--v stootrthettne tone ,or thevib'ratoror buzzer. .n

maybe regulated by', means ofthe rheostat V26, while the intensityiof the, sound emitted .may

befc'ontrolled by,manipulatingjthe .nut or knobv 31 whichvaries the force-otcontactof. plate I4.

upon the bottom wall of V.the box.. By meansof theladjustments. referredito. anser-:of the device may obtain therefrom -agfsteady .audibleoundfi wliq .fililesni.iqendtharmonious with; his

own individual temperament. Such a sound so regulated and tuned, located within hearing distance of the user will be found to induce restful relaxation and sleep, and will eifectively nullify extraneous noises which otherwise would interrupt sleep. For most eiective results, the device should be placed within a few feet of the users ear, however, the device can be so adjusted as to serve a .number of individualsconiined to a room, as in a hospitalward, where the persons to be benefited may be located ata considerable distance from the device. As was previously pointed out herein, the circumstances and conditions under. which the benefits of the device may be enjoyed are practically without limit.

If desired, certain of the walls of the box, or perhaps thevlid Vor cover, may be provided with a series of openings or louvers 40, to permit the escape of sound from the box while at the same time serving as vents for the release of any heat that-maybe generated by the transformer and the rheostat incident. to Yextended usage.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes mayk be made in the structural.

detailsv of the device, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the socket 23'may bek dispensed with if desired, by making subject person, whichdevice comprises in corn-V bination, a box including a substantially flat wall, a vibratory substantially. planar plate in Vflatwise contact upon said wall, an electric, buzzer fixed upon a face of said plate free of contact with said box wall, and.,means accessible exteriorly of the box for'varying. the force of contact between the vibratory plate .and the aforesaid-wall of the box.

2. Adevice for` inducing restful sleep in a subject person, which'device comprises in combination, a-box includingtop and bottom walls,

a. vibratory` substantiallyI planar plate, means for suspending said plate from the top wall in iiatwise contact upon said bottom wall, a vibration generating Vmeans iixed upon said plate -'for transmitting vibrations thereto, and means ac cessible exteriorly of .the box forvarying the force of contactbetween the vibratory plate-and A.the bottom walltof the box.

3. A device for inducingrestful sleep in a sub# ject person, which device A-cornp'risesin combination, varbox includingan apertured topwall and af bottom. wall, the bottom-*wall being substantially flat, ambratory Substantiauy nat plate lslightly ing.the threaded end of therod, said nut resting thev rodand the vibratorynplate thereto attached,

with the plate in flatwise contact upon-the bottom ,the top'wall, an adjusting nut threadedly engagupon' the top wall and ser-vingthereby to suspend .walhand an audible vibration generatingv means A fixed upon the vibratory platefor imparting vibrations thereto 4: A1device for inducingfrestful sleep inl'a sub-z V jectperson, lwhich device comprisesl in' combina-f`v tion; abox includinga 'substantially flat db'ottom wall, a vibratory substantially flat plate smaller in dimensions than the box bottom Wall, to rest thereon in substantial flatwise contact, an electrical generator of audible vibrations fixed upon the plate for imparting vibrations thereto, a source of low voltage electric current within the box, anlelectric circuit including conductors connecting the vibration generator to the low voltage source, an adjustable rheostat connected in the circuit to vary the current output of said W voltage source to the vibration generator, means for controlling the rheostat exteriorly of the box, an upright adjusting rod having one end thereof firmly fixed to the vibratory plate, and an opposite threaded end projecting upwardly away from the plate, an upper apertured support for the rod, the aperture of which support loosely receives the threaded end of the rod, a rotary adjusting nut threadedly engaging the threaded end of the rod, said nut resting upon the support and suspending the rod and the vibratory plate thereto attached, with the plate in substantial contact upon the bottom wall of the box.

5. A device for inducing restful sleep in a subject person, which device comprises in combination, a box including a substantially at Wall, a vibratory substantially flat plate in atwise contact upon said Wall, an electrical generator of audible vibrations xed upon the plate for imparting vibrations thereto, a source of loW voltage alternating electric current Within the box, an electric circuit including conductors connecting the vibration generator to the lowl voltage source of current, an adjustable rheostat connected in the circuit to vary the current output of said loW voltage source to the vibration generator, means for manually adjusting kthe rheostat exteriorly of the box, and adjustable means accessible exteriorly of the box for varying the force of contact between the vibratory plate and the box wall upon which said plate rests in iiatwise contact.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a box including a substantially at Wall, a selectively movable flat plate substantially covering and resting lightly upon said box Wall for movement relative thereto, an electric buzzer rigidly secured to a face of said plate and movable therewith, electric conductors electrically connecting the buzzer to a source of pulsating electric current, and a variable resistor connected in series with the buzzer and the source of electricity, for varying an operating characteristic of the buzzer, and adjustment means for selectively moving the plate and the buzzer unitarily toward and from the box Wall.

FRANK H. WIESMAN,

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,226,635 Brixius May 22, 1917 1,550,098 Sanders Aug. 18, 1925 2,180,881 Rostron Nov. 21, 1939 2,304,095 Hull Dec. 8, 1942 OTHER REFERENCES Tobacco Can Amplies Buzzer, Popular Mechanics, July 1932, page 150. 

